MPs appeal to President Obama to block extradition of British hacking suspect Lauri Love

More than 100 MPs are calling on President Barack Obama to block the extradition of an autistic British man accused of hacking into US computers.

The 105 cross-party backbenchers who have signed a letter to the American leader, stressing their "deep concern for the safety" of Lauri Love, 31.

Lauri Love after hearing he should be extradited at Westminster Magistrates' Court in September (Matt Dunham/AP)

They point out that he has "a long history of serious mental health issues, depression and some episodes of psychosis" and are hoping that Obama will call a halt to the extradition before he leaves office next year.

US authorities have been fighting for Love, who lives with his parents near Newmarket in Suffolk, to face trial over charges of cyber-hacking, which his lawyers say could mean a sentence of up to 99 years in prison if he is found guilty.

He is alleged to have stolen huge amounts of data from US agencies including the Federal Reserve, the US Army, the Department of Defence, Nasa and the FBI, in a spate of online attacks in 2012 and 2013.

Remarkable response from MP.colleagues in support of @LauriLoveX & our letter to Obama asking for his help to stop extradition #Autism

The MPs point out the UK has prosecuted at least 12 people who have hacked US-based computer systems.

The MPs wrote: "Indeed, Mr Love would be the first UK-based computer hacker to be extradited and denied the opportunity to face a full prosecution in the UK.

"The UK criminal justice system is equipped to bring justice through sentencing and rehabilitating people who are adjudged to have committed these crimes. Many of these 12 cases did not involve individuals who have significant mental health issues, nor Asperger syndrome and were not at a high risk of suicide, yet they were not extradited."

Love, who also suffers from depression and severe eczema, has said a jail term in the US would cause his health to deteriorate and would lead to a mental breakdown or suicide.